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Helena’s Interrogation

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March 23rd, 2009 | 8:34 pm

Befuddled and confused... Can someone explain what is going on here?!
(Seems Showtime finally wised up that they were leaving the embed code on all their video for anyone to swipe. So now you'll have to click the link and come back here to kvetch.)

Comments [38]

Fastgurrrl, Instead of an old clip, I wanted to share one from today. Her scene starts at about 1:57. The scene before hers features Natalia (dark hair), who is in denial about her lesbian feelings for Olivia. Then comes the scene with Olivia (Crystal Chappell), who is hanging around bars, trying to drown out her feelings for Natalia. The guy at the bar is an ex-husband - one of many, I'm told. Enjoy!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7PUo0nGmkE

I know - my late night ramblings "almost make sense!" I can get hyper and obsessive at times, and I think last night was one of those cherished events. I apologize to Grace Moon for appearing to hijack her column.

I did get a sense of credits rolling as the character reels off a list of feminist and lesbian organizations. I intuitively threw out the idea that maybe this was some sort of thank you note to IC's buddies but wrote it as fact.

In the light of day, (and after everyone has moved onto other subjects and don't give a shit about this any more) these tapes still appear to be loosely contrived advertisements for the DVDs that Showtime is selling (see last frame), and they are a segue to the Farm series. So primarily, it's marketing. But - and this is the thing about Chaiken's work that really disturbs me - she could have used good writing and a sensible plot WHILE INCLUDING scintillating sexual suggestions and Xena the Barbarian to make work that honors her lesbian viewers. We shouldn't have to choose between one or the other! Instead, she creates creepy shlock, with no interest in character development or continuity.

Now, she has the money to hire good writers. She has every resource for making good work. SO MY ONLY CONCLUSION IS THAT IT WAS NEVER ABOUT MAKING GOOD WORK. CHAIKEN'S WORK IS ABOUT HOOKING IN EVERY SLEEZEBAG VIEWER SHE CAN. SHE IS THE STRIPPER JENNY WHO BETRAYED HERSELF AND THE GAY COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO MAKE MORE MONEY.

Ok, I'm done obsessing for today. I've always wanted to meet a California Medicine Woman, so I would love to hear your thoughts about this or anything!

Hi yonks, well I have a couple of personal rules that I live by when I decide whether or not to support any kind of artistic expression....especially television and movies. I won't view anything that is utterly absurd or stupid or anything that is made strictly for "shock value."

Im with Julia and Longbeach down there. Writing schmiting...I no longer care what the story is, Lucy Lawless and the other actors are worth watching, as long as its not negative. Im boycotting tina and shanes interrogations but will watch the rest

Bad-writing-schmiting. I am perfectly content to allow myself to be sidetracked a la "Ooh, shiny." And D'Anna/Xena/Sarge visibly wanting to throw Helena on that interrogation table and make her confess all her secrets? Yeah. Shiny.

To answer your question LBD, that scene happened a few weeks ago. And I have to follow it all on Youtube. The scenes are uploaded almost every weekday.

Now I was not a soap opera junkie until this show became a, umm, "guiding light" for me.

But I have to give it real credit. The writers have developed this one storyline slowly over the course of a year!!! And I would guess it has another six months to go before they have to pack up and leave town or are kidnapped by aliens or whatever. But the subtleties in this script are so wonderful and thoughtful. The eye contact, the subconscious gestures... have fans on the edge of their seats ( which is different from the Edge of Night).
This show is so much better written than the L Word ever thought about. It's a little goofy because it's a soap opera, but, frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!!!!

It's simple, folks. The video clips are promotions for the DVD that showtime is about to sell. Plus IC paid some political debts by mentioning some key organizations who probably spent lobbying funds for receptions for her or whatever.

Grace, let me explain. What we have going on here is further shitty writing. We go from Helena whining about her crappy social and relationship skills, to her appreciation of Alice, to what she really did with the money, to her lamentations of being used, to Xena hitting on her, and finally ending on her alcoholic needs. All of it irrelevant. All of it stupid. But at least I got to look at Helena and listen to that sexy accent for a couple of minutes.